Choice putter

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a golf putter for improving a golfer&#39;s putting game. Said putter has a conventional shaft connecting to an improved head. Said head has a relatively flat hitting surface for striking a golf ball, a top surface, a bottom surface, a rounded bottom surface extension, a rear edge or wall, and side edges or walls any of which may be curved to make up or define the body of said golf putter. Within the body of said golf putter is an oval aperture which extends through said top and bottom surfaces. Four threaded set screws are inserted through four bore holes which are laterally bored through each opposite said side wall of said rounded bottom surface extensions and extending into said oval aperture. Said top surface oval opening being smaller than a conventional golf ball and said bottom surface oval opening being larger than said golf ball thus permits said golf balls to be wedged upward toward said smaller top surface oval opening by engaging said set screws which contact said golf balls below their equilateral center line. Said oval aperture can also accept an insert made to exactly fit into said oval aperture. Said insert is made to fit up through said larger bottom surface oval opening, but not fit through said smaller top surface oval opening. Said insert can then be secured within the body of the putter by engaging said set screws to make contact and force upward said insert. The top surface of said insert can be covered by one of many exchangeable visual alignment cards which are compressed between the top of said insert and said smaller top surface oval opening thus making it possible for said alignment cards to be visible through said top surface oval opening.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is in reference to: U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 60/776,635 filed on Feb. 24, 2006. Name of applicant—William T. Engel. Title of invention: Choice Putter.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to golf clubs. More specifically, the invention concerns a golf putter having an oval aperture within the body of said putter wherein conventional golf balls can be held securely in said oval aperture. Once secured within said oval aperture, said golf balls can be used in the areas of alignment, weighting and personalization of said golf putter. Removing said golf balls allows the use of an insert in said oval aperture in which exchangeable visual alignment cards are visible through said top surface oval aperture of said putter thus permitting countless alignment and promotional options.

II. Description of the Prior Art

The sport of golf has seen much technical advancement in golf equipment since the time of its inception. All these advancements are meant to lower golf scores thus it stands to reason that the golf club you use more than any other would be if vital importance. The golf putter has seen many of these technical advancements and serves a key role to lowering ones golf score. Although more conventional golf putters may be technically sound, if the golfer does not feel comfortable with the golf putter, they will not benefit from the technology of that particular golf putter. Therefore it stands to reason that a golfer would select a golf putter that is not only technically sound, but can also be adjusted for feel and aesthetics, thus creating a comfortable and personal connection to the golf putter. When this is found in the embodiment of a golf putter, the golfer will have more confidence and an improved putting game. Many different types of golf putters have been developed for improving ones putting game.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,617 issued to Park teaches a practice putter with a ball being of the same size and dimensions as a conventional golf ball being rotatably disposed between the side walls of putter head by means of an axle going through a bore hole of said ball. The ball rotates within the putter head when said ball makes contact with the putting surface while the club is being swung. A disadvantage is if said axle disposed ball is removed, it can not be replaced by a conventional golf ball of your choosing without said axle thus eliminating any adjustability of weighting and personalization. Yet another disadvantage of this design is that it only has one alignment system available. Yet another disadvantage is that it is a training club and can not be used within the rules of golf.

Another golf putter U.S. D506,237S issued to Byrne shows an ornamental design consisting of two flat circles and two lines running visually underneath said flat circles. A disadvantage is this design uses two dimensional flat circles which do not have any visual similarities as three dimensional objects. Yet another disadvantage of this design is that the visual alignment is permanent, which eliminates the ability to change the visual look of the putter.

Another golf putter U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,975 issued to Middleton teaches a training putter having a recess or aperture with dimensions that are marginally greater than a conventional golf ball in which said golf ball is disposed within said recess or aperture, but not secured. When said training putter is swung so that it is no longer proximate to the floor, the golf ball is released from the recess or aperture and its momentum causes the ball to continue rolling in a direction imparted to it by the swinging of the putter. A proposal to enhance the overall aesthetic appearance of the putter is put forth by providing circular caps to cover the circular aperture either on the upper or lower surface. This could be used for identification purposes or alignment features. As described, this proposal would allow both (two) circular caps for either the upper or lower circular aperture openings. A disadvantage is that the golf ball can not be secured to stay within the head of the putter, thus eliminating the alignment, weighting, or personalization advantages of said golf ball. Yet another disadvantage is that a circular aperture or circular cap that is only marginally larger than a conventional golf ball would not have adequate visual area to display alignment features effectively. Yet another disadvantage is that with only two circular caps you are limited to only two alignment options. None of the prior art teaches an improved golf putter in which conventional golf balls can be exchanged and securely held within the oval aperture of the present invention for alignment, weighting and personalization of said improved golf putter. Also, none of the prior art shows an improved golf putter in which the design is based on three dimensional shapes which consist of an oval aperture or conventional golf balls securely held within the body of the putter to differentiate and/or dominate its visual characteristics and in which the expanded area of an oval shape can be taken advantage of by visual alignment cards that can be exchanged to change the look and visual perception of the putter thus permitting countless alignment and promotional options.

Thus it is the intent of the present invention to provide a dual purpose putter in which it can be used with conventional golf balls secured within the body of the golf putter for alignment, weighting, and personalization to be used for practice, or in a non regulated USGA round of golf in which a recreational golfer is not bound by the rules of a non-conforming club (i.e. non-conforming hot faced drivers). It is also the intent of the present invention to provide said dual purpose putter to conform to USGA regulations by removing said conventional golf balls from the body of said golf putter, thus leaving an oval aperture in which an insert made to exactly fit into said oval aperture can be secured. Visual alignment cards are made to the exact size of the top surface of said insert and can be secured on top of said insert within said oval aperture. Said visual alignment cards can then be exchanged to change the visual alignment of said dual propose putter thus giving an advantage over other golf putters with permanent or smaller circular alignment markings.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is a golf putter for improving a golfer's putting game. The putter has a conventional shaft connecting to an improved head. The head has a relatively flat hitting surface for striking a golf ball, a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear edge or wall, and side edges or walls any of which may be curved to make up or define the body of said improved golf putter head. Within the body of said golf putter is an oval aperture which extends through said top and bottom surfaces. The oval opening of said top surface is marginally smaller than that of the outside diameter of a conventional golf ball, which is regulated by the United States Golf Association to be 1.68 inches. The oval opening of said bottom surface is marginally larger than that of said conventional golf ball. The difference in diameters of said top surface and bottom surface oval openings allow said conventional golf balls to be inserted up through said larger bottom surface oval opening and restricted from fitting up through said smaller top surface oval opening. Also within said head are four threaded bore holes laterally bored through each said side wall of said rounded bottom surface from opposite sides of said golf putter head. Said threaded bore holes are threaded in a way as to accept a threaded set screw within each said threaded bore hole so that when manually engaged, said set screws will also each penetrate said oval aperture. When said conventional golf balls are inserted into said oval aperture as previously described said conventional golf balls are also engaged by said threaded set screws at a specific point below the equilateral center of each said conventional golf ball thus forcing any said conventional golf balls inserted within said oval aperture as previously described to be lifted toward said smaller top surface oval opening which in turn wedges said conventional golf balls in said oval aperture between said smaller oval opening of top surface and said penetrating threaded set screws. Reversing this process by manually disengaging said threaded set screws will allow golfer to remove said conventional golf balls from said body of golf putter. Said oval aperture can also accept an insert made to exactly fit into said oval aperture. Said insert is made to fit up through said larger bottom surface oval opening, but not fit through said smaller top surface oval opening. Said insert can then be secured within the body of the putter by engaging said set screws to make contact and force upward said insert. The top surface of said insert can be covered by one of many exchangeable visual alignment cards which are compressed between the top of said insert and said smaller top surface oval opening which makes it possible for said alignment cards to be visible through said top surface oval opening thus permitting countless alignment and promotional options.

NUMERICAL INDEX FOR DRAWINGS

-   5. Putter -   10. Flat hitting surface -   15. Top surface -   20. Bottom surface -   25. Side wall -   30. Rear wall -   35. Top surface oval opening -   40. Bottom surface oval opening -   45. Threaded set screws -   50. Threaded bore holes -   55. Sightlines -   60. Conventional golf ball -   65. Head -   70. Curved bottom surface -   75. Front of oval aperture -   80. Rear of oval aperture -   85. Cross section cut line -   90. Oval aperture insert -   95. Rounded center section side walls of oval aperture insert -   100. Golf shaft -   105. Visual alignment cards -   115. Top surface of oval aperture insert -   110. Bottom surface of oval aperture insert -   120. Oval aperture

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention comprises the parts, devices, and arrangements of the invention hereinafter described, by way of example, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the head and a portion of the shaft of the present invention shown with threaded set screws penetrating the front and rear parts of the oval aperture. Cross cut section cut line 85 is also shown referring to FIG. 6.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the oval aperture insert with rounded sidewall center section. Cross cut section cut line 85 is also shown referring to FIG. 6.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the oval aperture insert with rounded sidewall center section. Cross cut section cut line 85 is also shown referring to FIG. 6.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the oval aperture insert with rounded sidewall center section. Cross cut section cut line 85 is also shown referring to FIG. 6.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the oval aperture insert. Cross cut section cut line 85 is also shown referring to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a cross cut section cut along line 85 with a front to rear perspective shown with oval aperture insert and a visual alignment card being compressed between smaller top surface oval opening and engaged threaded set screws.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the head showing where conventional golf balls (60 of FIG. 9) would be held within the head of the putter instead of the oval aperture insert. Cross cut section cut line 85 is also shown referring to FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the head showing where conventional golf balls (60 of FIG. 9) would be held within the head of the putter instead of the oval aperture insert. Cross cut section cut line 85 is also shown referring to FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 shows a dotted outline symbolizing a conventional golf ball which is used in FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 to show where a conventional golf ball would be held within the head of the putter.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the head showing where conventional golf balls (60 of FIG. 9) would be held within the head of the putter instead of the oval aperture insert. Cross cut section cut line 85 is also shown referring to FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 shows eight examples of the visual alignment cards which are held in place by compressing them between the oval aperture insert and the smaller top surface oval opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences described herein may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 through FIG. 10 shows the putter 5 of the present invention. The putter 5 has a conventional shaft 100 connecting to a head 65. The head 65 has a relatively flat hitting surface 10 for striking a golf ball, a top surface 15, a bottom surface 20, a rear edge or wall 30 and side edges or walls 25 any of which may be curved to make up or define the body of the putter 5. Within the body of the putter 5 is an oval aperture 120 consisting of a front 75 and rear 80 which extend through the top 15 and bottom 20 surfaces. Four threaded set screws 45 are inserted through four threaded bore holes 50 which are laterally bored through the opposite side walls 25 and extend into both the front 75 and rear 80 of the oval aperture 120. The top surface oval opening 35 is marginally smaller than a conventional golf ball 60 which is approximately 1.68 inches. The bottom surface oval opening 40 as shown in FIG.8 is marginally larger than a conventional golf ball 60. The difference in size of the top surface oval opening 35 and the bottom surface oval opening 40 permits conventional golf balls 60 to be inserted up through the larger bottom surface oval opening 40 and restricted from fitting up through the smaller top surface oval opening 35. With the golf balls 60 essentially trapped within the head 65, the set screws 45 are then manually engaged into the bore holes 50 so that the set screws 45 penetrate both the front 75 and the rear 80 of the oval aperture 120 making contact with the golf balls 60 at a specific point below the equilateral center line of each golf ball 60 thus forcing the golf balls 60 upward which in turn wedges the golf balls 60 in either the front 75 or the rear 80 part of the oval aperture 120 between the set screws 45 and the smaller top surface oval opening 35. Reversing this process by manually disengaging the set screws 45 will allow golf balls 60 to be removed.

In a similar process, the conventional golf balls 60 can be replaced by a oval aperture insert 90 which is made to fit in the oval aperture 120 and is marginally smaller than the bottom surface oval opening 40 and marginally larger than the top surface oval opening 35. This allows the oval aperture insert 90 to be inserted up through the larger bottom surface oval opening 40 and restricted from fitting up through the smaller top surface oval opening 35. The oval aperture insert 90 has a center section with rounded sidewalls 95 towards the bottom surface 110 of the oval aperture insert 90. After inserting the oval aperture insert 90 into the oval aperture 120 the set screws 45 can be engaged to make contact with the rounded side walls 95 of the oval aperture insert 90 and forcing the oval aperture insert 90 upward and compressing it between the set screws 45 and the smaller top surface oval opening 35. To add to the alignment and personalization of the putter 5, there are visual alignment cards 105 as shown in FIG. 11. These visual alignment cards 105 are the exact size and shape of the top surface 115 of the oval aperture insert 90 and are held in place on top of the oval aperture insert 90 by being compressed between the top surface 115 of the oval aperture insert 90 and the smaller top surface oval opening 35 of the putter 5 allowing full view of the custom graphics or sight lines incorporated into each of the visual alignment cards 105. 

1. An improved putter comprising: a shaft; a club head connected to said shaft, said club head has a relatively flat hitting surface for striking a golf ball, a top surface, a bottom surface, side edges or walls, said side edges or walls ultimately curving into a rear edge or wall, said flat hitting surface being the front edge, said front edge, side edge or walls and rear edge or wall defining the overall shape of said club head; an oval aperture extending through the entire thickness of said club head behind said hitting surface; said oval aperture being in parallel to said side edges or walls; an oval aperture of said top surface being in parallel to said side edges or walls and marginally smaller than a conventional golf ball; a oval aperture of said bottom surface being in parallel to said side edges or walls and having a front and rear chamber marginally larger than said conventional golf ball; said side edges or walls have a total of four laterally bored holes consisting of two bore holes per said side edge or wall which penetrate said front and rear chambers of said oval aperture;
 2. The improved putter as described in claim 1 further comprising four threaded set screws disposed within said laterally bored holes; a mechanical tool to engage said threaded set screws into said laterally bored holes;
 3. A method of securing conventional golf balls within the club head of the improved putter as described in claim 1 wherein said top surface oval opening being marginally smaller than said conventional golf ball and said bottom surface oval opening being marginally larger than said conventional golf ball thus permits said golf balls to be inserted up through said larger bottom surface oval opening and restricted from fitting up through said smaller top surface oval opening, by manually engaging said set screws to penetrate said oval aperture said set screws contact said golf balls below their equilateral center line forcing said golf balls upward and wedging said golf balls between said smaller top surface oval opening and said set screws thus allowing said golf balls to partially protrude through said smaller top surface oval opening; a method of reversing said securing process as described in claim 3, to release said golf balls from said oval aperture.
 4. A method of creating a three dimensional alignment system using conventional golf balls within the club head as described in claim
 3. 5. A method of using conventional golf balls with printed logos within the club head as described in claim 3, for promotional or personalization (i.e. company, private golf club, or favorite sports team logos).
 6. A method of improving performance and weight distribution by using a single conventional golf ball in either the front or rear chamber of said oval aperture as described in claim 1 wherein said set screws would only be engaged as described in claim 3 within said front or rear chamber which said single golf ball is to be used.
 7. The improved putter as described in claim 1 further comprising an insert made to fit exactly within said oval aperture; said insert being the same approximate weight as two conventional golf balls so as not to change the weight of the putter when switching from said insert to said golf balls; a method of securing said insert whereas said insert would be inserted up through said larger bottom surface oval opening but restricted by said smaller top surface oval opening, said set screws would then be manually engaged to penetrate said oval aperture thus making contact with said insert and wedging said insert upward against said smaller top surface oval opening; a method of reversing said securing process as described in claim 7 to release said insert from said oval aperture.
 8. The improved putter as described in claim 1 further comprising a series of weighted inserts to improve the performance and feel of the putter; an insert made noticeably heavier than original insert as described in claim 7; an insert made noticeably lighter than original insert as described in claim
 7. 9. An improved putter as described in claim 1 further comprising interchangeable visual alignment cards that are compressed between the top of said insert and said smaller top surface oval opening thus making it possible for said alignment cards to be visible through said smaller top surface oval opening thus permitting countless alignment and promotional options.
 10. A method of using said interchangeable visual alignment cards as described in claim 9 for promotional or personalization (i.e. company, private golf club, or favorite sports team logos) to create endless options for visual alignment; a see through visual alignment card which would enable user to put photographs or custom art work of their choosing within said putter to further personalize said putter to their liking.
 11. An improved putter comprising: a shaft; a club head connected to said shaft, said club head has a front hitting surface for striking a golf ball, a top surface, a bottom surface, side edges, said side edges ultimately curving into a rear edge, said front hitting surface, side edges and rear edge defining the overall shape of said club head; a rimmed oval cavity in said top surface; said oval cavity is of a predetermined depth; a rear edge of oval cavity and said rear edge of club head being one and the same; an aperture through rear edge of said oval cavity and said rear edge of club head; a closure of said aperture by mechanical means;
 12. The improved putter as described in claim 11 further comprising a visual alignment card proximate in thickness as said predetermined depth of said oval cavity and being of same oval shape as said oval cavity so that said visual alignment card could be disposed within said oval cavity through said rear aperture which then could be mechanically closed thus securing said visual alignment card within said oval cavity; a series of exchangeable visual alignment cards made to fit within said oval cavity for promotional or personalization (i.e. company, private golf club, or favorite sports team logos), to create endless options for visual alignment. 